The Scientific Peer Review Process for Institute of Education Sciences Research Grant Applications

• In Event: How to Apply for IES Research Funding Opportunities and Understand the Scientific Peer Review Process

Abstract

For the third presentation, staff from IES’ Office of Science will focus on the scientific peer review for research grant applications. The presentation will include an overview of IES’ strategy for peer review, as well as specific information about the peer review of research grant applications.

The overview of IES’ strategy will highlight the fact that peer review activities and staff are deliberately situated in the Office of Science, outside of the research Centers (NCER, NCSER) that fund research grants, provide technical assistance to applicants, and work with grantees. This structure helps to ensure that peer review is as objective as possible. We will address the roles of Office of Science staff and program officers from the research centers during the review and post-review phases of the grant funding process. Office of Science staff are responsible for the major activities involved in the review process, including establishing review panels, identifying and recruiting reviewers to serve on those panels, assigning applications to panels, assigning reviewers to applications, and preparing substantive instructions and information for reviewers. Office of Science staff attend the panel meetings to ensure that the panels are reviewing applications according to the requirements and recommendations outlined in the Requests for Applications. Program officers attend panel meetings as observers but are not involved with managing the review process. After the meetings, the Office of Science provides peer review information to the Centers for funding decisions. Office of Science staff are not involved in funding decisions.

Specific information to be presented about the research grant review process will include the stages of application processing and peer review, how resubmissions are handled, how potential peer reviewers are identified and recruited for peer review panels, how applications are assigned to individual reviewers, how reviewers are trained, and what feedback is provided to applicants. We will also describe the different review panels, the difference between standing and single-session panels, and the difference between principal panel members, rotating panel members, and ad hoc reviewers.

Overall, this session will provide attendees with a better understanding of IES grant funding opportunities, how to identify a specific research program and topic, how to prepare an application that is responsive to the request for applications, and how the peer review process works. It is our intent to encourage researchers to submit competitive grant applications to conduct education research that will inform education policy, practice, and future research.

Author

• Lisa J Bridges, Institute of Education Sciences
  Presenting Author